Method of pressurizing a dispensing container



Nov. 11, 1969 c. D. CHAMBERS 3,477,195

METHOD OF' PRESSURIZING A DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed March 30, 1967 .I9. Sheets-Sheet 1 2 46 l 'f' I a 52 l l I 54 INVENTOR Chcwlas 'DChambers Nov. l1, 1969 c, D. CHAMBERS 3,477,195

METHOD OF PRESSURIZING A DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed March 3o, 1967zsheetsfsheet a Edgy-.f4 We.V Fig7 lUnited States Patent O 3,477,195METHOD OF PRESSURIZING A DISPENSING CONTAINER Charles D. Chambers,Huntington, Conn., assgnor to Valve Corporation of America, Bridgeport,Conn.,

a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 627,048 Int. Cl.B65b 31/02; B65d 83/14; B67b 3/02 U.S. Cl. 53-37 3 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A vertically collapsible product-isolating sack having areduced neck portion at its top, through which the product passes, andhaving below said neck portion an externally grooved annular shoulderadapted to lit within the top shoulder of the dispenser casing and toprovide passages within the casing shoulder for the charging of thecasing with propellant liquid. During said charging the sack neck issupported above the casing neck and in spaced relation thereto, and thepropellant liquid passes through the existing space between the necksand through the grooves of the sack shoulder, in being brought into thecasing.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to small, hand-held pressurizeddispensing devices, and more particularly to devices of this nature,wherein the product is kept isolated from the liquid and/or gaseouspropelling medium by use of a sack disposed in the pressurized casingand in which the product is carried. Pressure cans of this type aresometimes termed Sepro cans, in the trade.

It has been the practice of eiect the pressurizing of such cans byinjecting liquid propellant into the casing or can through a smallopening provided in the bottom wall, and to thereafter seal the casingby applying a plug to the opening, to close-off the same. This hasnecessitated turning the dispenser upside down, which is a disadvantagesince there was required special filling equipment. Also, specialplugging equipment was needed, to closeoif the bottom lling hole in thecasing.

SUMMARY The present invention obviates the disadvantages of theabovementioned prior devices, and an object of the invention is toprovide a novel and improved productisolating sack for a pressurizeddispenser, and an improved process for pressurizing the same, whereinthe filling of the propellant liquid can be eifected through the top ofthe casing or can, and wherein there is not required a bottom llingopening or a subsequent plugging of the same. The foregoing isaccomplished by supporting the neck portion of the product sack abovethe casing neck and in spaced relation thereto during the chargingoperation, and by bringing the propellant liquid into the casing or canthrough the space effected by the said arrangement and support of theneck. Additionally, a shoulder portion of the sack, which lits withinthe casing shoulder, is provided with outer grooves which can constitutepassages for the propellant liquid being lled into the casing. Acombined filling and crimping head is provided, which supports the neckportions in spaced relation, injects the propellant liquid between theneck portions of the casing and sack, and thereafter effects the closingof the casing and crimping of the valve-closure assembly thereto.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improvedmultiple-purpose filling head for dispensers of fice the type indicated,which eifectively supports the sack neck above and spaced from thecasing neck, injects the propellant liquid between the said necks, andthereafter brings the necks together and secures the same in assembledrelation; to provide an improved clearance-effecting shoulderconstruction in a product-isolating sack of a dispenser; to provide animproved process for filling in a liquid propellant between neckportions of a productcontaining sack and a casing therefor; and toprovide an improved free-flowing valve housing for a product-isolateddispenser adapted to handle viscous liquids.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a vertical or axial sectional view through a pressurizeddispenser having incorporated therein the improved, product-containingand isolating inner sack made' in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the upper portion of thedispenser of FIG. 1 prior to the inal assemblage thereof, illustratingthe positions which the parts occupy during the charging of thedispenser with propellant liquid.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the improved productcarrying sack asprovided by the invention.

FIG. 4 is a View like that of FIG. 2, but showing an improved lling headas provided by the invention, applied to the dispenser for the purposeof injecting the propellant liquid and thereafter crimping in place thevalve and closure assemblage.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the valve and closureassemblage of the dispenser, showing an improved valve housing.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the valve housing illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an axial sectional view of a pressurized dispenser of smalleroverall diameter, embodying the improvements provided by the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pressurized dispenser illustratedtherein comprises an outer casing or can 10 having the usual inwardlyconcave bottom wall 12, and bulbous or convex top wall 14. The top Wall14 has a large central opening 16a, and is often referred to as a topshoulder of the can or casing.

The dispenser further comprises a closure and valve assemblagedesignated generally by the numeral 18, said assemblage including ametal cup 20 having an outturned and down-turned peripheral ange 22which is adapted to cooperate with an annular bead 23 on the wall 14,said bead extending around the opening 16 of the wall.

The valve and closure assemblage 18 further comprises a molded plasticvalve housing 24 in the form of a small upright cup having a top rimportion 26 which is gripped by an upstanding central boss 28 formed asan integral part of the closure cup 20. Within the boss 28 is a valvedisk 30, normally engaged by a valve shoulder 32 disposed intermediatethe ends of a vertically movable, hollow valve stem 34 which passesthrough the boss 28 and the valve disk 30. A helical compression spring36 engages the underside of the valve shoulder 32 and also the bottom ofthe valve housing 24, normally maintaining the valve stern 34 in theraised, closed position as is well understood in the art. When the valvestem 34 is depressed, a discharge of product will occur through acentral discharge passage 38 in the stem 34, in the well known manner.

Within the can 10 there is a flexible or resilient plasticaccordian-pleated sack 40 having a bottom wall 42 and at its upper end atop neck portion 44 disposed above and extending upward from a topshoulder portion 46. The neck portion 44 has an enlarged top edge or rim48 terminating in an `outturned and downturned flange portion 54 whichis interposed between the bead 23 of the can and the peripheral flange22 of the closure cup. In the usual manner, the cup 20 has its sideWalls crimped outward as indicated at 51 to secure the cup and neck ange54 of the sack 40 in sealing engagement with the top wall 14 of the can10.

The product 55 which is to be dispensed is contained in the sack 40,whereas the propellant liquid and gas is disposed exteriorly of thesack, in the space a between the latter and the casing 10. It will beunderstood that the pressure of the propellant will tend to collapse thesack 40 and discharge the contents of the latter through the valve stem34 whenever the stern is depressed, as is understood in the art.

Heretofore the propellant liquid was injected or placed in the can 10through an opening in the bottom wall 12 thereof, after which theopening was closed by a rubber plug or the like.

In accordance with the present invention, the propellant liquid isintroduced into the can 10 by pouring or injecting it between the neckportions 23 and 44 respectively of the can and sack, prior to such neckportions being secured together in sealing relation. Referring to FIG.2, it will be understood that after the filling of the sack 40 with theproduct, the neck 44 of the sack and the closure cup are assembled toeach other and then may be lifted an extent as shown, thereby to providea clearance space between the sack neck and the casing neck. For suchlifted position of the sack neck, the shoulder 46 of the sack may beengaged with the shoulder 14 of the can. By the present invention, outergrooves 52 are provided in the shoulder portion 46 of the sack, therebyto constitute passage through which the propellant liquid can flow whenit is being filled into the can 10 between the spaced neck portions 23,44 of the can and sack.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the grooves 52 enablethe propellant liquid to flow downward past the exterior of the shoulder46 of the sack, between the latter and the shoulder 14 of the casing 10.

In FIG. 4 there is illustrated a novel and improved filling headcomprising an upper ring 56 and a lower ring 58 having interposedbetween them a plurality of compression springs 60. The lower ring 58has an annular sealing gasket 62 adapted to sealingly engage theshoulder or top wall 14 of the can 10. In the lower ring 58 are passages64 for the propellant liquid, said passages being connected to suitablefittings 66 and hoses 68.

Carried by the lower ring 58 are spring loaded retainer arms 70 adaptedto engage the underside of the flange 54 of the sack 40, thereby toinsure retention of the latter on the closure cup 20.

The filling head further comprises an annular inner clamping andcrimping member 72 adapted to engage the peripheral ange 22 of theclosure cup 20, thereby to cooperate with the retainer arms 70 forretention of the sack neck in assembled relation on the cup 20. Nithinthe tubular member 72 are crimping jaws 74 arranged to effect thecrimping of the side Walls of the cup 20, as illustrated at 51 in FIG.l.

The procedure involving the top lling of the propellant liquid utilizingthe filling head illustrated in FIG. 4 is as follows: The valve andclosure assemblage 18 is pressed into the top rim portion of the sack 40at a loading station on the filling line after the filling of the sack,the arrangement being such that the sack has an air tight fit with thecup 20. The can 10, sack 40 contained therein and the valve and closureassembly 18 now pass to a filling station which has the filling headillustrated in FIG. 4. The filling head comes down over the can 10 andthe gasket 62 thereof seals against the shoulder 14 of the can. Parts ofthe filling head continue their downward movement whereby pins 76 of theupper ring 56 actuate the retainer arms 70, causing these to engage theunderside of the Harige 54 of the sack. The annular member 72, in

descending, engages the ange 22 of the closure cup whereby the latterand the neck of the sack are clamped and held together.

The propellant liquid is now forced through the passages 64, whereuponit passes downward around the neck 44 of the sack, through the groovesS2 thereof and into the lower portion of the can 10. The upper and lowerrings 56, 58 are now raised, and the member 72 and crimping jaws 74brought down to seat the closure cup on the bead 23 and crimp the cup onthe inside. This secures the flange 54 of the sack 40 tightly betweenthe bead 23 of the casing and the flange 22 of the closure cup.

The use of a sack to isolate the product from the propellant has theadvantages that the product and propellant need not be compatible witheach other, and that no loss of propellant occurs, to intefere withcomplete utilization of the product.

The sack 40, since it is easily collapsible, can be readily crumbledlaterally or radially to the extent necessary to enable its easy andquick introduction into the can 10 through the top neck opening of thelatter. After such introduction the product is filled into the sack, andthereafter the valve assembly is applied to the neck, in preparation forthe filling of the propellant.

In FIG. 7 there is shown a small diameter sack and can, wherebycollapsing of the sack is not required for its introduction into thecan.

I have found that where the product contained in the sack 40 is of aviscous nature, the side walls of the valve housing 24 may beadvantageously provided with a plurality of slots 80 whereby the productcan freely flow into the valve housing 24 during the discharging processwhen the valve stem 34 is in the depressed position. The provision ofthe side slots 80 eliminates any tendency for restriction of flow of theproduct when the valve stem 34 approaches the bottom opening 82 of thevalve housing. To strengthen the side walls of the valve housing, ribs83 are provided between the slots 80, as shown.

lt will now be understood from the foregoing that I have provided anovel and improved product-isolating sack for a pressurized dispenser,and an improved topfilling process for pressurizing the dispenser,wherein the filling of the propellant liquid can be effected through thetop of the casing or can, and wherein there is not required a bottomfilling opening or a subsequent plugging of the same. I have alsoprovided a novel combined filling and crimping head adapted to supportthe neck portions of the sack and casing in spaced relation, and toinject the propellant liquid between the said neck portions andthereafter to effect the closing of the casing and crimping of theclosure cup assembly thereto. The product-containing sack has animproved shoulder construction by which passages are provided, forleading the propellant liquid past the interior of the top shoulder ofthe casing, into the lower portion of the latter. Further, the valvehousing carried by the closure cup is provided with a plurality of sideopenings whereby -viscous product can readily iiow into the housing andout through the valve stem when the latter is in its depressed position.The illustrated structures are simple and relatively inexpensive toproduce and to assemble, and the top filling procedure obviates thenecessity for turning the can upside down, or providing a separateclosure or plug at the bottom of the can. Accordingly, the equipmentrequired for filling and pressurizing the dispenser is greatlysimplified.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims,and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

1. The method of pressurizing a dispensing container having therein aproduct-isolating collapsible sack, which includes the steps ofattaching a valve and closure assembly to the neck portion of thecollapsible sack, supporting the neck portions respectively of thecontainer and sack in spaced relation to each other, injectingpropellant liquid between the said spaced neck portions and into thecontainer, and thereafter sealingly securing said neck por- -tions toeach other.

2. The method of claim 1, and further including the step of sealing offthe neck portion of the container from the exterior surroundings toprevent leakage of propellant 5 liquid past the container exterior.

3. The method of claim 2, and further including the step of sealing offthe neck portion of the sack from the exterior surroundings, therebyconlining the path for the propellant liquid to that existing betweensaid neck portions.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,958,170 11/196() Mayer 53-37XR 3,225,967 12/ 1965 Heimgartner 222-206 XR 3,279,393 10/ 1966 Otken141-100 XR THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner R. L. SPRUILL, AssistantExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R.

